Staff MemberPremium Member

If this next bit of news doesn't get you disgusted at the United States Patent and Trademark Office, and the general state of the Patent System in the U.S., then you may just be too calloused by all the negative patent news we have had for the last three years. (We wouldn't blame you) Still, regardless of your relative level of outrage regarding this story, we thought it was worth reporting that Apple has just been granted what could be the most damaging and powerful smartphone patent of them all. In fact, the folks at Phandroid called it, " the mother of all smartphone software patents," and it could potentially be abused by Apple to lock out practically every other smartphone in existence.

This new patent (No. 8,223,134) basically covers the graphical user interfaces Apple designed for blogging, email, telephone, camera, video player, calendar, browser, widgets, search, notes, maps and other multi-touch interfaces. The patent's scope is so broad that it could be the "thermonuclear" weapon that Apple might finally launch against their competitors. In fact, the patent is so vague and all-encompassing it could potentially allow Apple to go after developers of apps and other smartphone platforms.

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Despite how horrifying this news could potentially be, perhaps it is a blessing in disguise. If Apple does decide to "push the button" on this doomsday device, it might be the final straw that will draw enough attention to just how trashed the U.S. Patent system has become. In fact, Apple may even foresee this and it may cause them to hesitate to use it. What do you think will happen?

Wow, after reading this, I can only say I can't wait for them to try and push it on someone looking for money or a trade/import ban. That's only going to land them and the patent office in a massive Anti Trust case with the Dept of Justice. lol

The legal and patent system here is completely ignorant of technology. Both really need to be revised to meet up with the times, because a lot of companies are abusing the ignorance, and it's not fair to people.

Apple please use this in court asap so it can be ripped apart along with the patent system as a whole. There is no way that any of these companies should be allowed to patent these simple ideas. Especially when they have been used for years prior to the patent application.

Of course they are gonna use it. That's why they applied for the patent in the first place. They are hopefully too encompassed in their own thermonuclear waste they see nothing wrong with using it to ban any electronic touch type device. Watch out Magellan and nook and everyone else.

Ridiculous. You'd think Apple was the first manufacturer on the planet to build a smartphone. Surely Microsoft and Palm have patents to some of this stuff that outdates Apple's patent by years, no? This, to me, is like Ford patenting "a self propelled device to transport people from one place to another, with 4 circular ground interface devices (wheels) and a way to change direction of travel (steering) and a way to come to a stop (brakes)"